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FLOWERS & MOTHERS

One of the first flowers to show up on the school ground in most states are dandelions. If I had a dollor for every dandelion given to me by loving students, I couldn't be richer than I am now with my memories of little hands handing me a love offering of these dainty yellow flowers.

SPRING LOVE OFFERING

The child stands with shining eyes

Waiting for expectant praise.

His fingers form around his prize

That grow on sunny days.

"I picked it just for you," says he

And reaches out his pudgy hand.

This first flower he gives to me.

As if it were an orchid grand.

I take the yellow bit of gold and say,

"Why Tommie, this is so fine!"

He honors me with his first bouquet

Made up of a yellow dandelion.

~~~~

(C) by Margaret C. Arvanitis

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A great day to bring out your rhythm instruments, play some snappy Mexican tunes, and make tacos for snack time!

Series of Mexico's Independence Days and other Bilingual Children's Fables

This collection of six bilingual children's stories takes a regional and historical emphases. "The Little General" teaches children about Cinco de Mayo through a young boy who helps save his village from the approaching French army.

Other stories
are fables that impart important moral themes to young readers. In "Sweetie, the Lion that Thought He Was a Sheep," children learn to respect different backgrounds and abilities. "A Parrot for Christmas" demonstrates the friendship children can share with
animals and "Orlando, the Circus Bear" emphasizes the importance of compassion toward animals. "A Horse Called 'Miracle'" teaches the value of helping others in need.

Each story has suggestions for classroom activities designed to stimulate curiosity
and expand knowledge of historical events.

Lindy Leo Lion, our Classroom Puppet brings a lesson on rhyming

Props: pencil, tablet, enough set of two
rhyming pictures for number of students. Have these placed around the room so each student can find one.

(See how to make the suggested rhyme cards at the end of dialogue.)

Puppets: your school’s teaching puppet. We call ours Lindy.

Teacher: Lindy, time for you. (Don’t take him out yet: say to students) Sometimes Lindy gets
so busy he doesn’t hear us calling him. Lindy, we are waiting.

(Place a pencil in puppet’s mouth before bringing him out. Take pencil from him as you start talking.)

Teacher: I see you are writing again.

Lindy: I was looking for a certain rhyme.

Teacher: Oh
you are making rhymes? I like to rhyme

(to students) Rhymes are words with ending sounds that are alike.

Lindy: I searched all night to find
a rhyme for ‘light’.

Teacher: I think you just found one when you said night. Can anyone tell Lindy another word that rhymes with light? (Teacher copies words that the student suggests
on a tablet even if they don’t rhyme. Lindy repeats each word with the words light/night, nodding when he hears a rhyming word. When he says one that doesn’t rhyme, teacher stops him.)

Teacher: That’s a good word, (name student who offered it) but does it rhyme? Let’s say that word again and listen carefully. Does that word really rhyme with light or night?

Teacher:
Ok Lindy, we were glad to help you. (Turn to students.) Let’s play a rhyming game. I’ve hidden some rhyming cards in the room. Each of you must find one. When you find your rhyme card, show it to Lindy and he will read it for you.
(Let Lindy read cards as students find theirs. When everyone has a card have them sit down again.)

Teacher: Everyone look at your card. The picture on it represents a word. We’ll
take turns reading your card. The rest of you listen carefully to hear if the word sounds like the picture on your card. When you hear the word that rhymes with your card stand next to that person.

(Let students
repeat the word of the picture on his/her card. When each child has found the matching rhyme, continue dialogue.

Lindy: You all rhyme so well. I’m proud of you so I will give you a treat.
(Have Lindy give each child a kiss on the cheek.)

Teacher: Now that is a neat, sweet treat Lindy. Thanks for the rhyming lesson. (Teacher returns puppet to his place.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Instruction on making rhyming cards

Draw or find pictures
of the rhyme sets listed below. Glue each picture on a 5”x3” cardboard. Laminate for longer use.

List of rhyming words, (I’m sure you’ll find more.)

(Remember your students should easily recognize pictures of each word.)

Number recognition page for older students. Copy off. Have students color after matching numbers. Display in room.

May is a busy time for our little students. Below are some Mother's Day cards your students can make.

What is more fun than tearing paper? Fold construction paper (any color student chooses) into three parts (as in photo) Draw a heart on the lower part. Have scraps of any kind of paper laying on art table, glue sticks, and have student cover the heart and decorate the top fold. Have student print "mom' on top. Write "I love you" in center fold, and write 'to pieces under the heart." If student can't print yet, hold his/her hand and direct the writing. This will make it more personal for the student.

Lady Bud's secret message to MOM. (card for Mom's Day)

(per student) Draw two 6' inch circles, one on orange and one on black
construction paper.

Draw a 3 inch circle on black construction paper.

Have lined papers cut for notes glued under the wings that read:

Ladybug comes to tell you I love you because: Ask student how he/she wants Ladybug to finish
this sentence. Child can whisper it to you since it is a secret.

Instructions:

Cut out circles.

Cut the
orange circle in half. Have student dot the wings with black marker.

Glue large black circle toward bottom of base paper. Glue the small circle on the black circle to make head. (Can staple short pipe cleaner (curled) on top of head if wish.)
Glue lined message on the black back of the ladybug.

Using hole puncher cut hole in end of each orange peice. Insert paper holder through them and press it through the entire papers. the wings should move up to display the message underneath.

Using hands to make cards. Fold a paper in half. Hold hand with thumb and pointer finger on folded edge. Draw around hand. Cut out. When open you have a heart shape between the hands. Let student write a 'love' note on the inside of the folded hand. decorate outside front with fingernails, rings, etc.

Photo book. Front cover. Fold black construction paper in half. On front make student's hand print from white tempera paint. Now get your camera out (with today's camera this is so easy to get a good photo. Take a picture of the student (best while he/she is working at something in the school setting.) Copy it with a photo copier and glue it on the inside of the folded paper. Be sure to write the student's name and date photo was taken and card was made. This is a keepsake card. The parents will love these reminder of when their children were little.

Suggested books to read during the month of May. All about Mommies.

Add these books to your reading library.

Are You My Mother?

by P.D.Eastman (Author)

This
is one of my favorite book to read to my students. An oldie but goodie.

A baby bird goes in search of his mother in this hilarious Beginner Book. When a mother bird’s egg starts to jump, she hurries
off to make sure she has something for her little one to eat. But as soon as she’s gone, out pops the baby bird. He immediately sets off to find his mother, not knowing what she looks like. The little hatchling is determined to find his mother, even
after meeting a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a Snort. The timeless message of the bond between mother and child make P. D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? a must read for Mother’s Day.

Little Critter means well, but he gets himself in trouble all along the way. His mother is oh so patient when Critter loses the train tickets, picks up a dinosaur egg in the natural history museum, and misbehaves at lunch.

Happy Mother's Day, Dear Dragon

by children’s author and former first-grade teacher Margaret Hillert.

"Happy Mother's Day, Dear Dragon" presents the story of a boy and his pet dragon, written to encourage reading fluency by using a controlled, limited vocabulary of high-frequency words.